Shoe



Sept. 8, 1942. c. J. HAMEL 2,295,212

SHOE

Filed July 18, 1941 ['wlraq Mfime/ parts removed to Patented Sept. 8, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I snor. Conrad J. Hamel, Woonsocket, It. I. Application July 18, 1941", Serial No. 403,034

' f (on. 36-71Y 2 Claims.

,of the foot exercise when walking. In order to provide such a construction I preferably provide a wing, molded of leather or equivalent material, and stitch the same to the inner-sole of the shoe, which latter is subsequently united with the upper being subsequently added to complete the shoe. By such embodiment of under the Goodyear process, or the like,

the heel and outsole the arch supporting member into the shoe during its manufacture, the inconvenience and unsatisfactory results which are found to follow from the employment of separate arch supporting members, usually mounted upon a false innersole or base which is inserted into the shoe after, the same has been completed, are avoided. In

this old process the insertion'of the arch supporter changes the fit of the shoe, resulting in inconvenience and an uncomfortable feeling which would be entirely avoided if the arch support was built into the shoe duringthe course of its manufacture, as in the present invention. The device of the present invention, as part of the shoe is fitted to the buyer's foot, the fit of the shoe and I the arch support are determined at the same time.

Another object is the provision of various sized inserts of special shape and non-slipping construction, which may be fitted to the user's requirements at the time the shoes are purchased.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawing illustrating one form of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 represents a plan view of an innersole with my arch support stitched thereto;

' Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 represents the finished shoe, with illustrate the relation between the built-in arch support and the parts of the shoe to which it is attached;

Figure 4 is a plan view;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal edge view, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of one of the 5 largest of the leather inserts;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the next size of insert, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the third and smallest size of insert.

The numeral 2 illustrates an inner-sole of the Goodyear type, having the usual channel, and the projecting lip 3 thereon. Stitched to the upper surface of theinner-sole at about the shank portion is a moldedwing 5, preferably of leather,

of sufficient stiffness to afford, with its filling,

support for a fallen arch, and at the same time provide sufficient flexibility to enable the wearer of the shoe to walk with comfort, while allowing the arch to correct itself.

The inner-sole 2 with the attached molded wing 5 is built into the shoe 1 by having the upper lasted over the inner-sole, in the usual manner, and the heel 8 and the ,outsole 9 subsequently added.

After the upper has been lasted over the innersole 2, a plurality of inserts I0, H and I2, which may be of progressively decreasing size, from the lower to the uppermost one, as shown in Figure 3, may be inserted in the space between the innersole and the top of the molded wing 5, but I prefer to fit these inserts into the shoe at the time the shoe is being fitted to the buyer in order to obtain the proper elevation of the molded wing. An important feature of this invention is the construction of these inserts, which will be madeof some soft, flexible material which has sufiicient yielding qualities to permit slight depression of the inserts under the weight of the wearer of the shoe. 1 have found that an interior of filarous material and a covering of suede,

which latter has not only the qualities herein mentioned of flexibility and slight yielding, but also externally has suflicient roughness to provide that amount of friction which is necessary to retain the inserts in the pocket between the wing 5 and inner-sole 9, and prevent their accidental dislodgement therefrom when once inserted.

With a shoe constructed in accordance with the foregoing, and wherein the molded wing of leather 5 is stitched as by stitches 5', to the inner-sole, and wherein a plurality of flexible and semi-elastic inserts 50, ll l2 are placed in the cavity formed byv the wing over the innersole, a very superior and practical combined shoe and arch supporter are provided. Moreover, when the arch supporter as thus described is permanently attached to the inner-sole, which latter is built into the shoe in its manufacture,

5 the finished article may be fitted to the foot of the customer at the shoe store, the inserts being used as needed and a final determination of the comfort and fit of the completed article, i. e., shoe, arch support; and arch support elevation, (by supplying the proper number of inserts) may be made. Furthermore, such arch support has just suflicient resiliency, with the necessary rigidity, to properly support a fallen arch, and at the same time provide that amount of yieldmg which will permit exercise of the arch muscles and allow the wearer to walk with comfort, and make the desired correction of the arch without any inconvenience to the wearer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'is:

1. In a shoe, a ribbed inner-sole, the upper of the shoe being attached to the rib on the innersole, and a flexible molded wing of leather stitched to the upper surface of said inner-sole and having in the cavity provided between said wing and inner-sole a plurality of inserts progressively decreasing in size from the bottom of said cavity upward, said inserts being of flexible material having outer surfaces which provide frictional resistance to their displacement from the cavity in which theyare inserted, said wing and inserts having a curved inner portion of similar outline to each other being of the same curvedoutline as the instep of the wearer, said wing having an extension adapted to be against the side of the shoe and inserts.

2. Ina shoe, 2. ribbed inner-sole, the upper of the shoebeing attached to the rib on the inner sole, and a flexible molded. wing of leather stitched to the upper surface of said inner-sole and having in the cavity provided between said wing and inner-sole a'plurality of inserts having coverings of suede material, progressively decreasing in size from the bottom of said cavity upward, said inserts being of flexible material having outer surfaces which provide, frictional resistance to their displacement from the cavity in which they are inserted, said wing and inserts having a curved inner portion of similar outline to each other being of the same curved outline as the instep of the wearer, said wing having an extension adapted to be against the side of the shoe and prevent movement of said inserts.

CONRAD J. HAMEL.

prevent movement of said- 

